Maine International Film Festival (MIFF)

Overview

The Maine International Film Festival (MIFF) is a 10-day film festival held annually in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1998, MIFF is a project of the Maine Film Center, a division of Waterville Creates. The festival showcases nearly 100 films representing the best of American independent and international cinema, with a special focus on Maine and New England filmmakers. The 29th annual edition runs July 10 to 19, 2026.

MIFF screens at the Paul J. Schupf Arts Center (home of the Maine Film Center) and the Waterville Opera House, both located in downtown Waterville. The festival programs feature films, documentaries, short films, and repertory cinema. A defining characteristic is the Tourmaline Prize competition, which awards $5,000 for the best Maine-made feature film and $2,500 for the best Maine-made short film, named for Maine's state gem.

The Maine Film Center, founded in 1978 as Railroad Square Cinema, brings world-class independent film and filmmakers to Maine through year-round screenings, the annual MIFF festival, and education programs. MFC is a member of Art House Convergence and the Film Festival Alliance.

Submission Details

Submissions are accepted through FilmFreeway. Key details:

Submission Deadlines (Based on 2025 Cycle)

Maine-Made Discount Process

Films meeting Maine-made qualifications (majority of principal production in Maine) may be submitted for 50% off normal submission fees. To receive the discount code, filmmakers must email miff@mainefilmcenter.org and allow up to 3 business days for a response. Films with only pre- or post-production activities in Maine are not automatically eligible unless the majority of principal production occurred in Maine.

Maine Student Film + Video Festival

Young filmmakers may submit to the Maine Student Film + Video Festival (MSFVF), which takes place during MIFF. Student filmmakers screen their work before an international audience, meet professional filmmakers, and win prizes including filmmaking gear and a $500 grand prize. Maine students can submit by June 15.

For current fees and deadlines, visit the MIFF FilmFreeway page or the MIFF website.

Key Sections

• International Features - curated world cinema from global independent filmmakers
• American Independent Film - new US independent features, including premieres
• Documentary Program - nonfiction features from US and international filmmakers
• Short Film Program - independent short films across all genres
• Maine and New England Showcase - films by Maine and New England filmmakers, with special consideration for works filmed in Maine or with significant Maine themes
• Tourmaline Prize Competition - juried competition for best Maine-made feature ($5,000) and best Maine-made short ($2,500)
• Repertory Cinema - classic and retrospective screenings from film history
• Maine Student Film + Video Festival - youth filmmaker showcase with $500 grand prize and filmmaking gear

Major Awards

• Tourmaline Prize for Best Maine Feature - $5,000 cash award, juried. Named for Maine's state gem. Recent winners:

- 2025: A Moment in the Sun by Mia Weinberger and Thomas Van Kalken

- 2024: The Ruse by Stevan Mena

- 2023: We Are the Warriors by David Camlin and Megan Grumbling

- 2022: Sunner by Henry Spritz

• Tourmaline Prize for Best Maine Short - $2,500 cash award, juried. Recent winners:

- 2025: Final Frontier by Heidi Burkey

- 2024: An Extraordinary Place by Tom Bell

- 2023: See You in April by Alex Helm

- 2022: The Intersection by Daniel Quintanilla and Jessamine Irwin

• Audience Favorite Award - voted by festival attendees across all screening programs

What Filmmakers Should Know

Maine-Made Programming Advantage

MIFF gives special consideration to works filmed in Maine or with a significant Maine theme or focus. The festival explicitly highlights Maine and New England's most innovative filmmakers each year. For filmmakers with Maine connections, this creates a measurable programming advantage. The 50% submission fee discount for qualifying Maine-made films further reduces the cost barrier for local filmmakers.

Tourmaline Prize: Significant Cash Awards

The Tourmaline Prizes are among the larger cash awards at a regional US film festival. The $5,000 feature prize and $2,500 short prize are juried awards presented at the closing night ceremony. To qualify, filmmakers must specify that their film was made in Maine in their submission forms. Films that tell stories about Maine but were not produced in Maine are not eligible for the Tourmaline Prize.

Maine Screening Exclusivity

MIFF will not accept submissions of films that have been theatrically screened or made publicly available via streaming, download, or through other media in Maine prior to the festival. This is a state-specific exclusivity requirement, not a broader premiere requirement. Films may have screened in other states or at other festivals outside Maine and remain eligible.

No Premiere Requirement (Beyond Maine)

MIFF does not require a world, US, or regional premiere for general submission. The restriction is limited to prior Maine screenings. This makes MIFF accessible to films that have already premiered at other festivals, as long as they have not been publicly exhibited in Maine.

No Film Market

MIFF does not operate a film market. The festival is an exhibition and community event, not a market festival. Filmmakers attending should expect audience engagement, Q&A opportunities, and networking with New England film community members, not distribution deal-making.

Venue and Audience

The Paul J. Schupf Arts Center, which opened in 2022, serves as MIFF's primary venue. The center is the home of the Maine Film Center and includes modern screening facilities in downtown Waterville. The Waterville Opera House, a historic venue adjacent to the arts center, hosts larger screenings and the closing night ceremony. Waterville is a small city (population approximately 16,000) in central Maine, and the festival draws both year-round residents and summer visitors to Maine's lake region.

Maine Film Center Year-Round Programming

The Maine Film Center operates year-round independent film screenings at the Paul J. Schupf Arts Center, providing ongoing exhibition opportunities beyond the festival. MFC's education programs deliver accessible film exhibitions and education to the central Maine community. For local filmmakers, MFC membership and involvement provide connections to the programming team and the New England film community.

Festival History

The Maine International Film Festival was founded in 1998 by the Maine Film Center. The Maine Film Center was originally founded in 1978 as Railroad Square Cinema, an independent art-house theater in Waterville. Over decades, the organization evolved into the Maine Film Center, a division of Waterville Creates, and a member of Art House Convergence and the Film Festival Alliance.

The festival's first editions were modest, screening a selection of independent and international films at Railroad Square Cinema. Over 28 editions, MIFF has grown to screen nearly 100 films across 10 days at multiple venues, attracting filmmakers from across the US and internationally.

The Tourmaline Prizes were introduced to recognize the best Maine-made films of the festival. Named for Maine's state gem, the prizes have been awarded annually at the closing night ceremony. The feature prize is $5,000 and the short prize is $2,500, making them among the most significant cash awards at a regional US festival.

In 2022, MIFF became the first festival hosted at the newly opened Paul J. Schupf Arts Center, which became the permanent home for the Maine Film Center in downtown Waterville. The 26th annual festival (July 7 to 16, 2023) was the first full edition in the new venue.

The Maine Student Film + Video Festival runs concurrently with MIFF, providing a platform for young Maine filmmakers to screen their work before an international audience and compete for prizes including filmmaking gear and a $500 grand prize.

See Also

Use the Festival ROI Calculator to compare submission costs against potential returns, including the 50% Maine-made discount. For festival circuit strategy, see Film Festival Strategy. For independent filmmaking approaches, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies. For current submission information, visit the MIFF FilmFreeway page or the MIFF website.